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roles in this service in much the same way that they have in pervious wars and as outlined in our Field Service Regulations of today. But the more extended reconnaissances, those of strategical and major tactical importance, will be almost entirely the role of the air forces. In fact, the chief interest in this phase, for the army as a whole, will be in the air. Decisive ground fighting will not occur. But the whole course of future aerial operations will, undoubtedly, be greatly modified in the struggles for air supremacy that will mark the first contact of the contending armies. Absolute control of the air will be gotten on in rare cases. There will always be airplanes of both side able to take the air, so long as there exist two parties, necessary to war. But that army that secures air superiority can be assured at least of the advantage of the one-eyed man in the lend of the blind. In aerial fighting, pure and simple, the first phase may be expected to develop the decision, though from the nature of the thing there can never result the clear cut and complete decision that attends ground fighting.

The result of the battle as a whole comes with the second phase. The plan of attack has been decided on, thanks largely to the staff observation work of the air squadrons. By a proper economy of forces, there remains in the hands of the commander, free and uncommitted to the fight, a force adequate to destroy the vital part that has been determined on. Assuming the offensive, there results independence of action, freedom of choice, One thing alone is now needed: mobility, a high capacity for movement. Where this exists the attacking units may be brought to the point of application. But even more telling is the 

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